A round-up of today's world news stories in brief
Rival opens door to working with Karzai
KABUL – Afghan president Hamid Karzai’s main election challenger yesterday opened the door to working with his rival in a unity government, softening his opposition to future collaboration.
Abdullah Abdullah (49) said that when the result of the August 20th vote was finally known, it was possible to “talk about different scenarios”.
“At this stage my whole focus will be on the [electoral] process, yes, to get it right and get it on track so the outcome will be acceptable to the people of Afghanistan,” he said. – (Reuters)
Hizbullah deny death of official
BEIRUT – Lebanese security sources said that five people had been killed, including a Hizbullah official, in a munitions explosion in his home in southern Lebanon yesterday, but the group denied anyone had died in a blast in the area.
Hizbullah spokesman Ibrahim al-Moussawi said one person was wounded in an explosion in southern Lebanon and the cause of the blast was under investigation. Despite the denial, Israel said a blast at a Hizbullah house showed munitions were being stockpiled in violation of a truce. – (Reuters)
Congo expels over 20,000 Angolans
LUANDA – The Democratic Republic of Congo has expelled more than 20,000 Angolans from its territory in recent days to retaliate against Angola’s expulsion of illegal Congolese diamond miners, according to an Angolan official.
Angolan foreign ministry spokesman Abreu de Breganha said Angola was sending a high-level government delegation to Kinshasa yesterday to try to put an end to a problem that was straining relations between the once closely allied countries. – (Reuters)